Mind, Body, and Soul
by SolarisAce
Summary: In collaboration with Berticus. When a relative of a friendly family comes to Japan and stays at Kagome's house for a night, something drags him to the Sengoku Jidai. Then he finds himself an unlikely ally of Inyasha's group. Elsewhere, an old enemy of Inuyasha's will find her way back by Naraku's machinations. OC pairing to be announced. Features more than the listed characters.
1. Chapter 1: Welcome to Japan

**A/N: Hello. For those of you who have seen my fic will probably note that this looks suspiciously similar to an older fic I made. That would be because I took it and the protagonist back to the drawing board and am pretty pleased with the results.**

 **Let me extend a public thanks to author Berticus for advising me on keeping characters' personalities in line with canon. If anyone is interested, check out his own fic, "Inuyasha: Fates of he Souls".**

 **So, without further ado, let's go.**

* * *

 **St. Louis, Missouri – February 12, 1966**

 **?**

So, _this_ was how humanity was. Human technology gradually overtook the world, yet its tendency to tear itself apart hadn't changed since the Feudal Era of Japan. This Cold War that gripped the world was evidence of it.

Youkai like herself were rapidly sidelined starting from as far back as the 18th Century. Time had little meaning for the female Youkai who was looking out over the city. Even if they couldn't see her, she sat upon the "Gateway Arch", as it was known.

She had a reason for being here, and it had nothing to do with the Youkai that were starting to die out. She was waiting for a certain someone to be born; someone whose being she always kept on her, even after time had long claimed him. Someone who taught her human emotion and decency, which she'd have never imagined ever having, much less liking.

Humanity was infectious—that someone demonstrated that in appreciable fashion. Though she once thought of humanity as a weakness, he showed her otherwise. The Youkai woman ruffled her green-tinted black hair, fond memories flowing through her mind.

* * *

 **Tokyo, Japan – 1997**

The hustle and bustle in this city was very subdued compared to what he'd grown up with in St. Louis, though somewhat louder than Kansas City. Even Sao Paulo, where his father's side of the family lived, felt livelier. Then again, it was an inevitability when you compared two cultures side-by-side. His knowledge of Japanese culture was rudimentary, even if his understanding of the language was _very_ serviceable.

For thirty-one-year-old Wayne Alencar, Japanese was like a second language, despite being the _third_ one he'd learned. It was thanks to his mother's side of the family that he knew how. Speaking of his mother's side of the family, Wayne decided to visit his extended family in Kyoto while he was between jobs. Well, more like it was requested of him by his mother; still, Wayne had always been curious to set foot in Asia.

His maternal grandmother tended to a Shinto shrine outside of Kyoto, but one of her daughters (his aunt Aiko) as well as his great aunt made occasional trips to Tokyo. There was a shrine they made trips to: the Higurashi shrine. And they just _happened_ to be waiting for him.

Of course, he didn't know where it was, so he needed to hire a cab.

Most of the folks he met so far were quite polite, but the occasional extended glance still occurred. Frankly, it didn't much matter to Wayne. It was obvious to anyone that he was no pureblood; his features were a mix of Caucasian, Asian, and Hispanic. His jawline was borderline chiseled, and his hair was a rather dark shade of brown, arranged in a curtain style.

His skin was a deep tan, in part because of his paternal ancestry, and in part because of how much time he spent in the sun. To top that off, he had a physical figure most men his age would kill to have—comes with his hobby.

His most striking feature, however, was his eyes. They looked like gold when illuminated by the sun. Every other time, they were the color of tarnished brass—often described by others as an outlandish version of hazel.

"We're here," the cab driver said.

"Thank you," Wayne replied in Japanese. "I'm afraid I haven't hit currency exchange. Can I pay you in American dollars?"

How fortuitous for Wayne that the driver accepted. Money changed hands, as humans often have done for thousands of years. He took what he had brought with in the trunk. His aunt asked that he bring only the necessities, but…

Let's just say that Wayne's view of what's "necessary" didn't quite match up to what everyone else thought. True, there was the suitcase with the clothes and the toiletries, but then there was the hard guitar case he brought with. Then there was the duffel that contained the tools of his hobby. And then there was the bottle of whiskey…

Okay, okay…he _probably_ didn't need the guitar. Ah, well. Too late now.

Five people were silhouetted against the sunset at the top of the stairs to the shrine; two of them were his aunt and great aunt. Of course, the exasperated face that crossed his aunt's face when he reached the top was to be expected.

"You just _cannot_ prioritize, can you?" Aunt Aiko asked Wayne in English.

"I've got my priorities perfectly straight, thank you," Wayne said.

"If nothing else, you're responsible enough to get a cab rather than drive by yourself…I can smell the whiskey on your breath. Will you at _least_ share?"

"Maybe, as long as you don't go out cold after a single shot of it, okay?" Wayne teased.

"Come on. I had never had anything that strong before," Aunt Aiko said. "I was just taken off-guard, is all."

"Relax, I'll share," Wayne chuckled. "We _are_ still family, after all. Anyway, are these the residents?"

"Ah, yes. Allow me to introduce them," she said before switching to Japanese. "Ms. Higurashi, this is my nephew, Wayne Alencar, from the United States. Wayne, this is Ms. Higurashi, her father, and Souta and Kagome."

Souta was the young boy, probably not even into the eighth grade, yet. Hair was short with distinctive bangs (kid has good taste), his stature was short, too—could not be very far above waist height for Wayne. The kid reminded Wayne of himself when he was that age.

The young lady next to Ms. Higurashi was the one referred to as Kagome. She was a striking raven-haired beauty with brown eyes and a face that just _radiated_ compassion. If Wayne were to relive his teen years right now, he'd have liked to grow up learning about this girl. Then again, they wouldn't have gotten along—he used to be a real ass at that age.

There was something about her that sent mixed feelings through his heart—it could have been anything. Kinship? Dread? Déjà vu?

"Pleased to meet all of you," Wayne said with a bow.

Keep the eyes closed—allowing your eyes to wander up to the recipient was a sign of distrust, and it caused offense. At least, that's what he was told. He wasn't looking to chance it.

"Don't kill yourself over it," his aunt practically whispered to him.

"Nice to meet you, too," Ms. Higurashi said.

A weird headache was coming on. Something about this meeting felt very odd.

Speaking of odd…

Wayne felt a chill down his spine, as if he was being watched from somewhere else. His eyes wandered to the shrine's roof. Nothing was there.

"Wayne? Are you all right?" Aunt Aiko asked, breaking him from his thoughts.

"Hmm? Oh, yeah. Sorry," Wayne apologized. "I must be _that_ tired, huh?"

"Well, it _is_ sundown," Aiko said. "The family's offered hospitality until we leave tomorrow. Of course, if you'd rather find a hotel room…"

"No, thank you. This'll be a nice change," Wayne said.

"Make yourself at home," Ms. Higurashi said. "I was about to start making dinner, anyway."

* * *

 **Let me know how it went.  
**


	2. Chapter 2: Disastrous Dinner

**A/N: No reviews and only six views on the first chapter. It's extremely discouraging, and I'd really hate to cancel a story before it goes anywhere. Read and review, folks. I want input. What can I do better? Do you like how things are going so far? Please, tell me.**

* * *

 **Kagome Higurashi**

The man, this Wayne Alencar, was certainly a big eater. Two bowls were completely emptied out, and he claimed to still have space for a third. This caused the whole family to gape in shock; the habits had nothing to do with his nationality, either. Kagome didn't buy into _that_ stereotype, at least.

He felt off, for some reason. It had nothing to do with those eyes of tarnished brass, or his considerable height and bulk. But she couldn't place her finger on it.

He wasn't hard on the eyes with his tan skin and musculature. Kagome would be amazed if he wasn't married, yet. He had a good deal of age behind him; it showed through the worn lines around his eyes and the slight strands of grey in his stubble.

"So, umm…" Souta trailed. "What is it you did as a living?"

"Oh, me?" Wayne asked, nearly choking on what water he had in his mouth. "I was an accountant back home. I'm looking for a new employer and taking a vacation while doing it. I'm also a musician in my spare time—and I have nothing _but_ time these days."

"Huh…neat," Souta said. "You have an exciting hobby? I couldn't help but notice the rope wrapped around your duffle bag."

"I climb and survive a lot in the wilderness," Wayne said. "Sometimes I climb city buildings if I'm feeling brave. The essentials are there: backpack, climbing harness and rope, lighter and extra fluid, canteen, flashlight with a couple of batteries, and then some stuff for emergencies."

"Talk about coming prepared…" Souta whistled.

They sounded like very physically taxing activities…little wonder he ate so much. Loud, hyperactive, chatty…like Inuyasha. Speaking of, he was probably on the roof, listening in. He just did _not_ get the meaning of the word "privacy".

"I brought a camcorder, too. For fun," Wayne said.

"Umm…what's a 'camcorder'?" Souta asked.

"You know about the video cameras that filmmakers use when they make movies?" Wayne asked, to which Souta nodded. "Think those, but small enough to be held in one hand, and you've got a camcorder."

"Neat! Sounds like a great way to keep vacations in mind," Souta complimented.

"Yeah," Wayne said. "I re-watch old vacation tapes all the time."

"What about family? Are you married? Do you have someone waiting for you back home?" Souta asked.

"Something like that," Wayne said. "A wife and a daughter. My daughter was eight the last time I saw her."

So, he _was_ married…

"I'm sorry to ask, but 'last time you saw her'?" Mama asked.

"Yes," Wayne said. "We've all been…separated for about a year, now. I look forward to seeing them again."

"Wayne…" Rihoko started.

"Let's not start this in front of our hosts…" Wayne trailed.

"Am…am I missing something?" Kagome asked, curious to see where this would go.

"Typical family tensions of ours," Wayne said, sighing. "Personal issues. It's about my bad habits."

That last sentence he choked out was a half-lie, or so her instincts told her.

"Of course, there's this subject my great aunt here keeps bringing up," Wayne said. "It hardly brings any comfort."

Kagome didn't read minds. She couldn't, and she wasn't as skilled at reading people as she liked. But his attitude gave it all away.

"When he says 'separated', he means…"

"Drop it!" Wayne snapped to his great aunt, to the shock of everyone at the table.

Wayne looked around and sighed, perfectly aware of what he had just done.

"May I excuse myself?" Wayne asked. "I need to go get some fresh air."

"Um…yes, go ahead," Mama told him.

Wayne got up, careful not to hit the table in the process, and went for the door out of the kitchen. He looked over his shoulder, and Kagome could see regret over causing such a ruckus in his expression. And then he continued.

"I apologize for his behavior. He's been like this for a year now. He's usually pretty nice," Aiko said after Wayne left. "It doesn't help that my nephew never got along with my mother or aunt."

 _He hasn't seen his wife and daughter in a year, he looks forward to seeing them again. Seeing them again…could that mean…?_

"And he's been drinking a lot since then. It will kill him if he's not careful. He got that from his father, I'd say," Rihoko said. "But something tells me he'll persevere, somehow. He's always carried some of the best traits of our ancestors. My predictions about him are rarely wrong. I just wish he'd listen once in a while."

"It's all right," Grandpa said. "I know the feeling."

"Should someone go check on him?" Mama asked. "If what you're saying is true, I'd rather he'd not drink himself into a stupor."

"Umm, I'm not so sure Kagome or I could get through to him," Souta commented.

"I suppose I'll do it," Mama said. "A conversation between parents. It seems right."

* * *

 **Wayne Alencar**

Wayne sat on a bench, hip flask in hand. Pity the tree he sat near was blocking the moonlight. He really felt in enough of a mood to climb something, but it would just be plain rude to climb on the hosts' property. He felt an unusual sense that he was supposed to be here, in this country, and on these grounds.

"Just what is this tree?" he thought aloud.

"The Goshinboku," a woman's voice said behind him.

Wayne turned to look at the woman of the house. She was smiling, but there was a hint of worry on those lips. Wayne cursed his tendency to think aloud so often.

It's not as though it was a new habit he formed recently: he verbalized his thoughts from a young age. It helped him maintain focus on one specific topic, helped with his stress, and distracted him from feelings of loneliness.

"Ms. Higurashi," Wayne said. "Sorry about making a scene."

"You're new to Japan, and you look it," Ms. Higurashi said. "I'll let it be."

"You've got my thanks, then," Wayne said. "Would you like a seat?

"Yes, that would be lovely," Ms. Higurashi said.

"I really wish the moon wasn't being blocked by this tree," Wayne said. "The waxing crescent was always my favorite to look at."

"It does look cute, I admit," Ms. Higurashi said. "I never saw its appeal, though."

"I guess I was just born with the interest," Wayne said before taking another sip from his flask. "So, what's so special about this tree, this…Goshinboku?"

"I'm afraid its importance is beyond me," Ms. Higurashi said. "Not even my father-in-law can guess how long it's stood. I was thinking centuries; he thought it was several millennia. It was said that a miko from a village nearby bound a youkai to this tree five and a half centuries ago."

"No signs of a skeleton, if I might be so bold," Wayne grinned. "Was the body removed intact?"

"In a manner of speaking, yes," Ms. Higurashi said.

"What about you?" Wayne asked, eyes trained on the woman who was giving him hospitality. "I don't mean to pry, but I hear fondness in your voice."

"Yes, this spot has great sentimental meaning," Ms. Higurashi confessed. "This is where my late husband proposed to me."

"He proposed on his own family's soil…" Wayne said. "Eternal hospitality…it's poetic. What happened to him?

"Car accident took him away," Ms. Higurashi said. "Souta wasn't even born yet."

Ms. Higurashi was tearing up a bit. Instinct told him to put a steady hand on her shoulder, to tell her things would be all right.

"Sounds like a he was a good man," Wayne said, complying with his instincts, lacing comfort in his otherwise stoic voice.

"He was…" Ms. Higurashi said. "A good husband and a good father. He always tried to find time for Kagome, even when he had a busy work day."

"Now, _that_ a proper father," Wayne trailed, taking his hand off her shoulder. This time, it was his turn to tear up.

"Your daughter is nice—seems a bit distracted, but nice," Wayne said. "And Souta is curious…adorably so. He almost reminds of Mei."

"Mei's your daughter," Ms. Higurashi concluded. It was stating the facts, not asking a question.

"Yep. My wife's name is Jun," Wayne said.

"Separated from them for a year…" Ms. Higurashi trailed. "When do you plan to see them again?

"Well, if I live the average human lifespan out," Wayne started. "I'd say around forty-three years."

"You're in your thirties, you think you'll see them in _that_ long? But…that would mean they're…"

"Dead…yes. When I said separated, I meant by the boundary between life and death," Wayne said, voice stoic, posture stiff. "I'm alone."


End file.
